Mechanism for selectively actuating a plurality of movable members



Feb. 7, 19.33. A E 1,896,146

MECHANISM FOR, SELECTIVELY ACTUATING A PLURALITY OF MOVABLE MEMBERS Filed Jan. 14, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Rib; 7, 1933. H, wENDE 1,896,146

MECHANISM FOR SELECTIVELY ACTUATING A PLURALITY OF MOVABLE MEMBERS Filed Jan. 14, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HERMANN A. WENDE, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK Application filed January 14, 1930. Serial No. 420,786.

This invention relates to a mechanism for chiming bells or the like, such mechanism being operable from a keyboard and being used to operate the chimes in church towers or the like, but the invention is also applicable wherever it is desired to actuate selectively a plurality of movable members, the movable members in a chimes actuating mechanism being the hammers or clappers of the different chimes.

This application is an improvement on the bell ringing mechanism shown in my Patent No. 1,349,400, dated August 10, 1920.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide such a chiming mechanism in which the bells immediately respond to the manipulation of the keyboard without the usual lag between the depression of a key and the striking of the corresponding bell,

and to provide such a chiming mechanism in which the parts quickly return to their normal inoperative position so that the chimes are more sensitive to the manipulation of the keyboard and can be played with greater facility.

Another aim is to provide such a chiming mechanism in which loud or soft tones of the chimes, or individual bells, can be secured by holding the keys a corresponding length 53 of time. By this means if the player wishes the full tone of the chime or chimes he holds the key or keys down for the full length of time and if he wishes a softer tone he releases the key or keys more quickly.

Another aim is to provide such a chiming mechanism in which any bell or series of bells can be tolled by simply holding down the corresponding key or keys.

Another purpose is to render the chiming mechanism conveniently adjustable from the source of power which is usually located at a distance from the belfry, such adjustment conveniently permitting the regulation of the tone of the individual chimes.

Further objects are to provide such a mechanism which consists of few parts which are not liable to get out of order or not subject to excessive wear and to provide such a mechanism which is inexpensive to make, install and maintain.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a cross section of a chiming mechanism embodying my invention, the same being shown diagrammatically connected with the bells of the chimes and also with the switches actuated by the chimes keyboard.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2- 2, Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the metal back of the friction member forming part of the mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of a chiming mechanism embodying the invention and showing the manner in which a plurality of bells are sounded.

Similar characters of reference indicate like parts in each of the several views.

In its general organization the invention, as shown, comprises a drive shaft carrying a plurality of wheels, each of which is embraced by a guide, an arcuate friction member arranged between each guide and its wheel and adapted to be moved into engagement with the wheel by an arm actuated through a solenoid, spring means for returning the friction member to a normal inoperative position and a keyboard switch and a normally closed switch in circuit with each solenoid, the keyboard switch energizing the solenoid to effect an engagement between the friction member and the wheel and the normally closed switch being actuated at the end of the stroke of the friction member for breaking the circuit, and means for operatively connecting the friction member with the hammer of a corresponding bell so that the motion of the friction member serves to ring the bell. Means are also provided to insure the friction member being thrown out of engagement with each friction member at the end of its full stroke, which means are adjustable to permit of regulating the tone of the individual bells.

The mechanism is shown as mounted upon a framework consisting of the usual standards 1 and horizontal members 2, these being shown as angle irons suitably riveted together. Suitably ournaled longitudinally in this framework is a main drive shaft 3 which is continuously rotated from any suitable source of power such as an electric motor (not shown). This shaft is preferably rotated at sixty R. P. M. On this shaft are keyed or otherwise fixed a plurality of wheels 4, the number of these wheels corresponding to the number of bells to be actuated and each wheel 4 being associated with a corresponding bell 5. The wheels 4 are shown as being made of pressed metal and consisting of two counterpart sides, these sides being dished outwardly to form a peripheral channel 6 as indicated in Figure 2.

A guide consisting of two angle irons 7 embraces a portion of each wheel 4, this guide being shown as of semi-circular form and the two angle irons 7 being secured at their ends to the upper longitudinal members 2 of the frame as indicated at 8. The two angle irons 70f each guide are spaced apart to form a: slot 9, this slot being arranged directly over the channel 6 of each wheel 4. Between each guide and the corresponding wheel 4 a friction member 10 is arranged, this friction member consisting of an arcuate back strip 11 of metal. and an inner friction facing 12, these two parts being secured together in any usual. and. well known manner. The friction facing 12 is preferably of a comparatively softmaterial and con orms in cross section to the shape of the channel 6 so that when the friction member 10 is moved into engagement with the channel 6 of the correspondingwheel 4 the frictional engagement therebetween causes the friction member 10 to follow the wheel 4 in its rotation.

Means are provided for normally and yieldingly holding each friction member 10 in its inoperative position out of engagement with the corresponding driving wheel 4. As

shown in thedrawings this means consists of a pair of springs, the spring 13 being secured to an car 14 at the leading end of the arcuate plate 11 of the friction member and at its other end being secured to a stationary member 15 which forms part of the framework of the mechanism. The car 14 projects outwardly through the slot 9 a substantial distance fora purpose whichwill presently appear. The other return spring 16 is connected to the trailing end of the plate 11 of the friction member 10 and at its other end'is connected to a stationary arm 17 extending outwardly from the frame work of he machine. These springs are disposed so as to draw the friction member 10 against the guide members 7 at any point in this movement.

A bell cord or cable 18 is secured to the trailing end of each plate 11 of the friction members 10 in any suitable manner and this cable 18 actuates the'hammer 19 of the corresponding loell 5 through any suitable form of intermediate mechanism. 7 As shown diagrammatically, this mechanism consists of a 'Qbell crank lever 20 connecting the cable 18 with a rod 21, the other arm of the rod 21 bein connected with the hammer 19 of the corresponding bell. The weight of these members is preferably such as to insure the return of the friction member 10 to its normal position, shown in Fig. 1.

An arm 22 is pivoted at 23 adjacent each wheel 4, each of these arms carrying a roller 24, this roller being arranged to be moved through the slot 9 into engagement with outer face of the arcuateplate 11 of each friction member 10. This arm 22 is actuated by a solenoid 25, the energization of this solenoid serving to move the roller 24 against the friction member 10 and force this member into engagement with the wheel 4. p In circuit with each solenoid 25 is a keyboard switch 26, av source of power such as a battery 27 and a normally closed switch 28. The keyboard switch 26 is operatively connected with a corresponding key upon the keyboard (not shown) and is closed when the key is depressed. The normally closed switch 28 is shown as consisting of a movable spring contact 29 which is mounted on an insulated base 30 and springs into engagement with the-fixed contact 31 of this switch. These normally closed switches 28 are arranged at the rear of the margin and are so disposed that when each of the friction members 10 reaches the end of its stroke, its ear 14 engages the movable spring contact 29 and breaks the'circuit.

In order to insure the disengagement of the friction member 10 from its driving wheel 4 at the end of its stroke the plate 11 is I-shaped in outline as shown in Fig. 3, this plate being provided at its opposite ends with laterally extendingportions 32 and 33 and a cam plate 34 is mounted on the inner sides of the guide members 7 adjacent the normally closed switch 28. This cam plate is provided with a cam face 35 opposing the direction of rotation of the wheel 4 and is spaced from the guide members 7 by suitable spacers 36. In a similar manner a cam plate 3? is secured to the upper part of each guide member 7 these cam plates 37 being of similar form and being secured to the guide members 7 by screws 38 and spacers 39. The advancing edge of the back 11 of the friction member is formed to provide a cam face 40 which is arranged in the path of the cam face 35 of the cam plate 34 and the corre-. sponding advancing edges of each of the projections 32 of the plate 11 is formed to provide a cam face 41 which is arranged in the path of the cam face of each of the plates 37.

With the mechanism as described its operation is as follows: The operator in depressing the case closes the corresponding ze'yboard switch 26. This establishes a circuit through the battery 2". keyboard switch 26, solenoid 25 and normally closed switch 28. The energization of the electro-magnet 25 moves the arm 22 and this forces the roller 24 against the outer face of the plate 11 of the friction member 10. This pressure upon the friction member 10 moves its friction face 12 into engagement with the channel 6 of the wheel 4 and the friction member 10 is thereby moved with the wheel 4 in its direction of rotation. This movement of the friction member 10 is transmitted through the cable 18, bell crank lever 20 and rod 21 to the hammer 19 of the corresponding bell 5 and the bell 5 is thereby struck. When the friction member 10 reaches the end of its stroke the cam face 40 at the leading edge of the back 11 engages the cam face 35 of the cam plate 34 and the leading edge of the friction member 10 is thereby lifted free of the wheel 4 and out of frictional engagement therewith. In a similar manner at the end of the stroke of the friction member 10 the cam faces 41 of the projections 34 at the trailing end of the friction member plate 11 engage the cam faces of the cam plates 37 and these cam plates lift the trailing end of the friction member 10 out of frictional engagement with the wheel 4. At the same time the ear 14 engages the movable spring contact 29 of the normally closed switch 28 and breaks the circuit through the switch, the battery 27, the keyboard switch 26 and the solenoid 25. This deenergizes the magnet 25 and releases the roller 24 from engagement with the friction member 10. The friction member 10 is thereafter returned to its normal inoperative position, shown in Fig. 1, the springs 13 and 16 serving to hold the friction member against the guide members 7 and the weight of the cable 18 and other parts serving to draw it in the opposite direction to the rotation of the wheel 4 and to its normal inoperative position at the front of the machine. If it is desired to toll a bell 5 it is only nec essary to hold the keyboard switch 26 closed by the continued depression of the key, the circuit being alternately opened and closed through. the operation of the normally closed switch 28.

Any suitable means can be provided for adjusting the tone of the individual bells 5 by the regulation. of the stroke of the friction member 10, for example the screws 38 holding the upper cam plates 34 can be ar ranged in longitudinal slots 45 in the guide members 7, these slots permitting the cam plates 37 to be adjustably positioned along the guide members 7 and thereby free the friction member from the wheel 4 at any desired point in the range of travel of the friction member 10. The screw supporting the other cam plate 34 can similarly be arranged in slots 46 for this purpose.

From the foregoing it is apparent that this invention consists of few parts which are not liable to get out of order or subject to undue wear, it is inexpensive to make, install and maintain, the bells immediately respond to the manipulation of the keyboard and the parts immediately return to their normal inoperative positions, the mechanism is extremely sensitive to the manipulation of the keyboard, and the tone of the individual bells can be conveniently and individually adjusted as desired.

I claim:

1. In a mechanism for selectively actuating a plurality of movable members, a rotary driving wheel associated with each of said members, a friction member adapted to be moved into engagement with said wheel and be moved thereby, means normally holding said friction member out of engagement with said wheel, means for moving said member into engagement with said wheel, means actuated through movement of said friction memher for releasing the engagement between said friction member and rotary member and means operatively connecting said friction member with the corresponding movable member.

2. In a mechanism for selectively actuating a plurality of movable members, a rotary driving wheel associated with each of said members, an arcuate friction member adapted to be moved into engagement with said wheel and be carried around thereby, means normally holding said arcuate member out of engagement with said wheel, means for moving said member into engagement with said wheel and means operatively connecting said friction member *ith the corresponding movable member.

3. In a mechanism for selectively actuating a plurality of movable members, a rotary driving wheel associated with each of said members and having a channeled rim, an arcuate friction member adapted to be moved into said channel and frictionally engage said wheel to be moved thereby, means normally holding said arcuate member radially out of engagement with said wheel, means for moving said memmr radially into engagement with said wheel and means operatively connecting said friction member with the corresponding movable member.

4. In a mechanism for selectively actuating a plurality of movable members, a rotary driving wheel associated with each of said members and having a channeled rim, an arcuate member adapted to be moved toward and from the rim of said wheel, a friction facing applied to said arcuate member and adapted to engage the inner faces of said channel, means normally holding said arcuate member and facing out of engagement with said wheel, means for moving said arcuate member and facing into engagement with said wheel and means operatively connecting said friction member with the corresponding movable member.

5. In a mechanism for selectively actuating a plurality of movable members, a rotary driving wheel associated with each of said members, a stationary guide embracing a portion of said wheel, an arcuate friction member arranged between said guide and said wheel, spring means yieldingly holding said friction member against said guide, means for moving said friction member into engagement with said wheel to be turned thereby and means operatively connecting said friction member with the corresponding movable member. 6. In a mechanism for selectively actuating a plurality of movable members, a rotary driving wheel associated with each of said members, a stationary guide embracing a portion of said wheel, said guide being formed to provide a slot extending along the periphery of said wheel, an arcuate friction member arranged between said guide and said wheel, a pair of springs connecting the opposite ends of said friction member with external stationary parts, said springs yieldingly holding said friction member against said guide, means for moving said friction member into engagement with said wheel to be moved therewith and means operatively connecting said friction member with the corresponding movable member.

7. In a mechanism for selectively actuating a plurality of movable members, a roo tary member associated with each of said iinovable members, a friction member adapted to be moved into engagement with said rotary member to be carried around thereby, means yieldingly holding and returning said friction member to a normal inoperative position out of engagement with said rotary member, means for moving said friction memher into engagement with said rotary member [for part of a revolution thereof, means actuated through motion derived from said friction member for disengaging said friction member from said rotary member at the end of said part revolution and means operatively connecting said friction member with the corresponding movable member.

8. In a mechanism for selectively actuating aplurality of movable members, a rotary member associated with each of said movable members, a friction member adapted to be moved into engagement with said rotary member to be moved thereby, means yieldinglv holding and returningsaid friction member to a normal inoperative position out of engagement with said rotary member, means for moving said friction member into engagement with said rotary member for part of a revolution thereof, a cam associated with said friction member and disengaging said friction member from said rotary memher at the end of said part revolution and means operatively connecting said friction member with the corresponding movable member.

9. In a mechanism for selectively actuating a plurality of movable members, a ro-- tary driving wheel associated with each of said members, a stationary guide embracing a portion of said wheel, a friction member interposed between each of said guides and the corresponding driving wheel, a spring yieldingly holding said friction member against said guide, means for moving said friction member into engagement with said wheel to be turned thereby, a pair of cam plates secured to said guide and arranged to engage said friction member at the end of its stroke and lift it free of said wheel and means operativel connecting said friction member with the corresponding movable member.

10. In a mechanism for selectively actuating a plurality of movable members, a rotary driving wheel associated with each of said members, a stationary guide embracing a portion of said wheel, a friction member interposed between each of said guides and the corresponding driving wheel, a spring 'ielding,y holding said friction member a a nst said guide, means for moving said f lotion member into engagement with said "wheel to be turned thereby, a pair of adustably movable cam plates secured to said guide and arranged to engage said friction member at the end of its stroke and lift it free of said wheel and means operatively connect n g said friction member with the corresponding movable member.

11. in a mechanism for selectively actuating a plurality of movable members, a rotary member associated with each of said movable members, a friction member adapted to be moved into frictional engagement with said rotary member to move therewith, electro-magnetic means for moving said friction member intoengagement with said rotary member for a part of its rotation, means actuated through motion derived from said friction member and releasing the frictional engagement between said friction and rotary members and returning said friction member to a normal inoperative position and means operatively connecting said friction member with the corresponding movable member.

12. In a mechanism for selectively actuating a plurality of movable members, a rotary member associated with each of said movable members, a friction member adapted to be moved into engagement with said rotary member to move therewith for a part of its rotation, an arm pivoted adjacent said rotary member, a roller mounted on said arm and adapted to engage said friction member to move said friction member into engagement with said rotary member, an electromagn'et cooperating, when energized, to move said arm to effect an engagement between said rotary and friction members, a s itch and a source of power in circuit with said electro-magnet, means for returning said friction member to a normal inoperative position and means operatively connecting said friction member with the corresponding movable member.

13. In a mechanism for selectively actuating a plurality of movable members, a rotary member associated with each of said movable members, a friction member adapted to be moved into engagement with said rotary member for a part of its rotation, electro-magnetic means for moving said friction member into engagement with id rotary member when energized, a normally open manual switch, a normally closed switch and a source of power in circuit with said electromagnetic means, said switches and electromagnetic means being in series with one another, said normally closed switch being opened by said friction member at the end of its stroke, means for returning said friction member to a normal inoperative position and means operatively connecting said friction member with the corresponding movable member.

, 14. In a mechanism for selectively actuating a plurality of movable members, a drive shaft, a plurality of wheels mounted on said drive shaft, a guard embracing each of said wheels, an arcuate friction member arranged between each corresponding wheel and guard and arranged to be moved into engagement with the wheel, spring means for yieldingly holding said friction member in a normal inoperative position against said guard member, an arm pivoted adjacent each wheel and movable to move the corresponding friction member into engagement with the corre sponding wheel, an electro-ma-gnet for moving each arm, a source of power, a manual normally open switch and a normally closed switch in circuit with each electro-magnet, said switches and electro-magnetic means being in series with one another, a pair of cam plates carried by each guard, projections on each friction member engaging said cam plates at the end of the stroke of each friction member and lifting said friction memher free of its wheel, said friction member being also adapted to open said normally closed switch at the end of its stroke and thereby break said circuit and means operatively connecting each friction member with the corresponding movable member.

15. In a mechanism of the character described for chiming bells, each of said bells having a hammer, a rotary driving wheel associated with each of said hammers, a stationary guide embracing a portion of said wheel, an arcuate friction member arranged between said guide and said wheel, spring means yieldingly holding said friction member against said guide, means for moving said friction member into engagement with said wheel to be turned thereby, and means operatively connecting said friction member with the corresponding hammer.

16. In a mechanism of the character described for chiming bells, each of said bells having a hammer, a rotary member associatcd with each of said movable members, a friction member adapted to be moved into engagement with said rotary member to be moved thereby, means yieldingly holding and returning said friction member to a normal inoperative position out of engagement with said rotary member, means for moving said friction member into engagement with said rotary member for a part of a revolution thereof, a cam associated with said friction member and disengaging said friction member from said rotary member at the end of said part revolution, and means operatively connecting said friction member with the corresponding hammer.

17. In a mechanism of the character described for chiming bells, each of said bells having a hammer, a rotary member associated with each of said hammers, a friction member adapted to be moved into frictional engagement with said rotary member to move therewith, electro-magnetic means for moving said friction member into engagement with said rotary member for a part of its rotation, means actuated through motion derived from said friction member for releasing the frictional engagement between said friction and rotary members and returning said friction member to a normal inoperative position, and means operatively connecting said friction member with the corresponding movable member.

In testimony whereof I hereby afiix my signature.

HER-MANN A. INENDE. 

